


Technicalities

by c3mf



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-22
Updated: 2012-03-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 04:12:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/389616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/c3mf/pseuds/c3mf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Herc says he's divorced, technically it's not a lie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Technicalities

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Cabin Pressure fic meme [here](http://cabinpres-fic.dreamwidth.org/3282.html?thread=3934418#cmt3934418)
> 
> A/N: The dialogue belongs to John Finnemore. I only filled in the bits between.

The question, when posed, is simple enough.

“And what have you done with your wife?”

The reaction, however, is not. The years have made covering up the initial sting instinctual, even as it still twinges uncomfortably in his chest. Fleetingly, Herc is stunned that Douglas even remembers Diane.

After all this time, the practiced words come easy. “I’m not married.” Anymore, he finishes silently. Technically, it’s true. He has built his life around that technicality. The focus helps.

So he is prepared when the pain inevitably comes and finds relief in the fact that it is no longer crippling. Guilt, though, still crowds behind the relief, instantaneously. Thankfully, he knows how to stifle it.

Douglas just smiles and raises a smug brow. “Divorced, I take it?”

“Of course.” Another technicality. It isn’t a lie, but the comfort is hollow at best.

Oblivious, Douglas leans a leisurely arm along the top of the window. “How many times?”

The words don’t catch like the use to. Herc takes his cue from Douglas and settles back in his seat, looking for all the world languid and unfazed. “Four. You?”

Douglas’s shrug is easy, indifferent even. Herc doesn’t envy him. “Just the three,” he smirks.

Herc doesn’t stop the sarcasm from bleeding into his voice. “Oh, you old romantic.”

After that, the words taper into silence. Douglas drums his fingers on the car roof distractedly. The fun is over now that he’s got what he wants. Herc remembers that particular vice readily enough. The years haven’t changed Douglas terribly much. To be fair, they haven’t change Herc much either.

“Right,” Douglas says, straightening. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”

Herc smiles, the mask slipping into place with remarkable ease. They say their goodbyes and briefly he wonders if Douglas notices the pretense. He rolls up the window again after Douglas leaves, curls his fingers round the steering wheel and breathes.

By the time Carolyn comes back, he has laid Diane to rest again, a quiet, cherished memory nestled in the back of his thoughts. It’s almost easier than it should be to lock away the lingering grief.

He pulls out of the car park as Douglas mockingly serenades them and laughs at Carolyn’s barely-smothered indignation.

The pain, when the last of it fades, leaves no guilt behind.


End file.
